Communication method of supplying information in intelligent network and apparatus therefor

• US 5,590,180 A
• Filed: 09/28/1994
• Issued: 12/31/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Sakurai, Yoshito, Tonomura, Yukiko, Nishi, Yumiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US08/314,373
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 379/111-115, 379/130-133, 379/202, 379/219
• US Class Current: 379/114.05
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13547 subscriber, e.g. profile, database, database access
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A communication method and apparatus which provides information in an intelligent network. The communication method and apparatus allows a user to enter a connection number of the user terminal, a connection number of an information provider terminal and time to receive information from the information providing service into a user database provided in a transmission layer. The data registered in the user database is read into a service control database provided in the intelligent layer. The service control database is referred to in order to automatically connect the user terminal and the information providing service when a service start time is reached and automatically disconnect the connection therebetween when a service end time is reached.

Claims

1. A communication method for providing information in an intelligent network including a transmission layer having a user terminal and a switching system connected through a first network and an intelligent layer connected to said transmission layer through a second network for issuing a connection command of a line to said transmission layer, comprising the steps of:

entering by a user a connection number of the user terminal, a connection number of an information provider terminal and a time to receive an information providing service into a user database provided in said transmission layer;

reading data registered in said user database into a service control database provided in said intelligent layer;

collating a current time with the time to receive the information providing service read in said service control database by a timer circuit provided in said intelligent layer;

automatically connecting said user terminal to said information provider terminal when a service start time is reached as a result of the collation;

collating a current time with a service end time by said timer circuit; and

automatically disconnecting the connection between said user terminal and said information provider terminal when the service end time is reached as a result of the collation.

2. A communication method for providing information in an intelligent network according to claim 1 wherein said step of reading the data registered in said user database includes a step of sorting the data in the order of the service start time.

3. A communication method for providing information in an intelligent network comprising the steps of:

entering by a user a connection number of an information provider terminal and a time to receive an information providing service into a user database provided in a user terminal;

collating a current time with a service start time by a timer circuit provided in said user terminal;

automatically connecting said user terminal to said information provider terminal when the service start time is reached as a result of the collation;

collating a current time with a service end time by said timer circuit; and

automatically disconnecting the connection between said user terminal and said information provider terminal when the service end time is reached as a result of the collation.

4. A communication method for providing information in an intelligent network including a transmission layer having a user terminal and a switching system connected through a first network and an intelligent layer connected to said transmission layer through a second network for issuing a connection command of a line to said transmission layer, comprising the steps of:

informing by a user to a network provider a connection number of the user terminal, a connection number of an information provider terminal and a time to receive an information providing service into a user database provided in said transmission layer;

registering by said network provider in a service control database provided in said intelligent layer the connection number of said user terminal, the connection number of said information provider and the time to receive the information providing service;

collating a current time with a service start time registered in said service control database by a timer circuit provided in said intelligent layer;

automatically connecting the user terminal to said information provider terminal when the service start time is reached as a result of the collation;

collating a current time with a service end time by said timer circuit; and

automatically disconnecting the connection between said user terminal and said information provider terminal when the service end time is reached as a result of the collation.

5. A communication method for providing information in an intelligent network according to claim 4 wherein said step of registering into said service control database includes a step of sorting the data in the order of the service start time.

6. A communication apparatus for providing information in an intelligent network comprising:

a user terminal connected to a switching system;

first control means provided in a transmission layer including a user database accessible by a user and having a connection number of said user terminal, a connection number of an information provider terminal and a time to receive an information providing service registered therein;

second control means including a service control database provided in an intelligent layer and containing data of said user database, means for collating a current time with the time to receive the information providing service by referring said service control database, and means for automatically commanding to said switching system the connection of said user terminal and said information provider terminal when a service start time is reached as a result of a collation by said collation means and automatically disconnecting said connection when a service end time is reached; and

third control means provided in said intelligent layer and connected to a network provider terminal and including a service management database for controlling the issuance of a connection command to a subsidiary node by said second control means.

7. A communication apparatus for providing information in an intelligent network according to claim 6 wherein said service control database includes a memory storing the data in said user database sorted in the order of the service start time.

8. A communication terminal comprising:

means connected to a switching system for functioning as a telephone set;

a database having a connection number of an information provider terminal and a time to receive an information providing service recorded therein;

means for collating a current time with the time to receive the information providing service; and

means for automatically commanding to said switching system the connection with said information provider terminal when a service start time is reached as a result of a collation by said collation means and automatically commanding to said switching system the disconnection of said connection when a service end time is reached.

9. A communication apparatus for providing information in an intelligent network comprising:

a communication terminal including means connected to a switching system for functioning as a telephone set, a database having a connection number of an information provider terminal and a time to receive an information providing service recorded therein, means for collating a current time to the time to receive the service, and means for automatically commanding to said switching system the connection with said information provider terminal when a service start time is reached as a result of a collation by said collation means and automatically commanding to said switching system the disconnection of said connection when a service end time is reached;

a switching system connected to said communication terminal;

first control means provided in an intelligent layer and including a database having a number to which a charge is to be charged and the connection number of the information provider terminal registered therein; and

second control means provided in said intelligent layer and connected to a network provider terminal and including a service management database for controlling an issuance of a connection command to a subsidiary node by said first control means.

10. A communication apparatus for providing information in an intelligent network comprising:

a user terminal connected to a switching system;

first control means including a service control database provided in an intelligent layer and having a connection number of said user terminal, a connection number of an information provider terminal and a time to receive an information providing service recorded therein, means for collating a current time to the time to receive the service, and means for automatically commanding to said switching system the connection of said user terminal and said information provider terminal when a service start time is reached as a result of a collation by said collation means and automatically commanding the disconnection of said connection when a service end time is reached; and

second control means provided in said intelligent layer and connected to a network provider terminal and including a service management database for controlling an issuance of a connection command to a subsidiary node by said first control means.

11. A communication apparatus for providing information in an intelligent network according to claim 10 wherein said service control database includes a table having the connection number of said user terminal, the connection number of said information provider terminal and the time to receive the information providing service registered therein and sorted in the order of the service start time.